Who Can Benefit From Mobile Fever Care?
When visiting a patient with a fever, mobile care fever providers review symptoms, check medical history, identify potential risk factors, determine the cause of the fever, and develop a treatment plan. If additional evaluation or testing is required, mobile fever care providers coordinate with partner team members or labs to collect and process blood work, urine samples, or swabs used to detect respiratory infections.
A fever can lead to further health complications for vulnerable populations. The following types of patients benefit the most from mobile fever care:
- Seniors in private living homes, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities
- Patients with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses
- Patients recovering from surgery, recently hospitalized patients, those who are confined to bed, or those with limited mobility
- Residents in group living environments where illness can spread quickly
What Defines a Fever?
You experience a fever when you have a temporary body temperature increase. A fever is usually caused by an infection and is one part of an overall response from the human immune system.
Average body temperature has traditionally been defined as 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). A temperature taken using a mouth thermometer that is 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) or higher is generally considered to be a fever. Fevers below 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) associated with common viral infections, such as the flu, help your immune system fight disease and are not harmful in most instances.
The hypothalamus, an area of your brain that can be thought of as your body’s thermostat, monitors body temperature so you have a balance of heat production and heat loss. Even if you are generally healthy, your body temperature varies slightly throughout the day, where oftentimes in the morning it is lower, compared to later afternoon and evening when it is likely to be higher.
When your immune system responds to disease, the hypothalamus can set your body temperature higher, initiating complex processes that produce more heat and restrict heat loss. You might experience shivering, which is one method your body uses to produce heat. Using a blanket to keep warm when you feel a chill helps your body hold in heat.
Depending on the cause, the following signs and symptoms may indicate a fever:
- Sweating
- Chills and shivering
- Headache, muscle aches
- Dehydration, loss of appetite
- General weakness, irritability
Mobile Fever Care for Timely Evaluation
For most people, though uncomfortable, a fever is usually not a cause for concern. But for at-risk patients—including seniors living in nursing homes, people in group living environments such as a rehabilitation facility, and people whose immune systems are weak or not functioning properly—timely evaluation is especially important.
To achieve the best possible results for patients, mobile fever care providers collaborate with partner staff at hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and other healthcare facilities by promptly evaluating fevers and managing infections before they spread.
Additionally, because of the importance of working with primary healthcare providers, mobile fever care providers also share notes with doctors and other providers to keep all parties updated on patient treatment and progress.
Mobile fever care providers develop treatment plans for the fever and any underlying conditions. Treatment can include medication management, hydration support, wound care (if needed), and vital signs monitoring.
After beginning treatment, mobile fever care typically includes check-in visits, ongoing care, education resources for patients and family caregivers on signs and symptoms to monitor, and aftercare instructions.